The Metaphysics of Philosophy, Knowledge and Morality Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A Shared Framework of Reference

It turns out from the previous chapter that in order to assess anything and thus make reasonable statements about it, we need a Framework of Reference. Morover, it needs to be a Shared Framework of Reference.

In order to assess someone's true and justified beliefs, we have to have a Shared Framework of Reference, in which we know what we mean by words like "true", "justified" and "belief".

The irony is that if we had such a Framework, we would not need this seemingly scientific discussion, because in that Framework we'd also know whether the holographic image of sheep projected in a field enables you to have a "true and justified belief". The very fact that we're having discussions like that demonstrates that we don't have a Shared Framework of Reference, which immediately renders the discussion deficient in substance. In other words, "problems" like true and justified belief about hidden sheep in a field are unsolvable and point to the larger problem that we don't have enough Shared Frameworks of Reference in the modern world.

How can we negotiate a Shared Framework of Reference? By raising "problems" like hidden sheep in a field. These "problems" should not be raised per se but in order to find solution enabled by a Shared Framework of Reference. We need to find at least something we happen to agree about. Whereas in antiquity, small close-knit communities would share a lot of views about the world but would not share many views with neighbouring communities, these days, larger and looser communities struggle to share any views at all, which hurts their cohesion, cooperation and prosperity.

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a great tool with which to haggle a Shared Framework of Reference. All humans need food, shelter and security, most humans need intimacy and sex too. When these are available, higher needs kick in, all the way to self-fulfilment and the quest for a higher purpose and meaning in life. The modern world has both intensified and frustrated the latter group of needs, people tend to pursue individual goals based on individual beliefs that are shared only as an exception.

The way to haggle a Shared Framework of Reference is to refer to basic needs to test of the other person agrees. If they do, you can move up the hierarchy until you start to disagree. You can have a few rounds of exchange at that level to clarify what you actually agree on, and use that Shared Framework of Reference going forward.

Again, haggling a Shared Framework of Reference important so that you can have a meaningful discussion about anything, including true and justified beliefs about hidden sheep in a field, good governance, environmental protection, the eradication of poverty, fairness and equity in the world.